Things I've learned today (so far)

1. Teachers grind their teeth. Dr. Joe, my dentist, said I have some slight grinding and the gums of a 21 year old. I love Dr. Joe.
2. Dave and I are good at the whole throwing a party thing. Actually, at this point, I only know that he and I can prep for a party like mad men. Ready, with time to spare. That's what I'm saying. Now it's time to see if folks have fun.
3. My friend told me that the service that transcribes your voice mail is as good as I want it to be. I hate voice mail. They fix my hate by writing messages down and emailing it to you. Oh, the goodness of 2007.
4. Greek food in LA is not so good. I already knew it but I tried to give it a second chance.
5. Games are a part of my life. I can do nothing about that fact.
6. 80's music still does it for me.
7. I still like to fun. Oh good days had by all.

Happy New Year!

2007 has been so good...I am beginning 2008 happy.

And, I've got a playlist for the nights festivities.

Happy 2008 to all those I love.

How I know my sister is in college

Today I received a card from my sister who is in her first year of college. Several things about the card made it very clear to me that she is now college-aged. Her card was filled with thoughtful and mature thoughts. And...her card was made out of elephant dung. I feel like you only have access to that kind of good stuff when you are a college student.

30 minutes in the life of a teacher

Today had a bump, a hiccup, a long stretch of minutes that I feel may only be able to happen in the world of a teacher. This is not an exaggeration.

9:45-other teacher tells me to call my supervisor about a class placement I thought was a go.
9:56-school psychologist tells me that the folks in the district office think afore mentioned placement is not the best. Unfortunately, I had told the parents about this great arrangement last week...right after the school psychologist suggested the arrangement and said she thought it would be the best possible thing to do for the student.
10:01-my student who needs recess the most missed recess because he was in a meeting. I see him walking in the opposite direction of my classroom. I think he is crying.
10:02-talk with the person he was in the meeting with and find out he was super resistant to the idea of talking with someone. She doesn't know where he went.
10:03-called to try to find him in another classroom...oh, he's in his on his way over.
10:05-nose bleed
10:06-missing boy is back. Engaged in high power negotiation about what happens when someone misses recess, why it's not my job to find him when he is with another teacher and tell her he needs to go to recess, why you can't just go play now, and how to talk to someone instead of shaking with anger.
10:10-reminded the children working that it was time to finish with their independent work and move to the next activity.
10:10 1/4-missing boy is on the floor. He's upset.
10:10 1/2-nose bleed has become a gusher, escort to office arranged.
10:12-principal passes, I ask her to come in to talk to the upset boy.
10:13-hazard waste clean-up.
10:14-reminded everyone to put their papers in their folders not just shoved into their cubby.
10:15-I'm shaky. It's time to read Patricia Polacco. I need some Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair.

So, now, at 7:44, I'm in my pajamas. And I had ice cream. It was $1 scoop Tuesday.

Life as I know it...31

The events prior to my birthday blog were different than past birthday blogs. I drove home into the most beautiful sunset. I arrived to my new home, pet the cats, and read the perfect blog birthday gift from Dave.

My 30th year was wonderful, full of goodness. I finished my degree, moved to a new state, decided to live like a grownup, and found out I am a cat person. It's been so good.

Now, when I think about how I will spend my 31st year, one thing comes to mind. I hope that I can really try to interact with my new place...really make this place my own.

I feel like the world holds so much right now. I am so excited for my life. I like that part of being in my 30s.

One more day

While sitting in my staff meeting, after school and a very trick phone call, I told my colleague that I felt like I had been run over by a steamroller. She told me that that I used good descriptive language.

That is a comment only a teacher would make.

Now, I'm going to get Thai food for dinner...because I'm still feeling effected by the steamroller.

Oh, how spoiled I've become

Last week, we got a fancy new TV and a new Tivo. Because of these changes, I am currently working with 3 different remotes. I just caught myself thinking, "I miss the one remote system."

Then I realized that just a few months ago, I was working off of a 19 inch screen and channel changing system that involved moving myself closer to the TV and using the nearest digit.

I don't know if I can ever go back.

826la

As a long-time fan of the superhero supply store in Brooklyn, I'm eagerly anticipating the time travel shop in Echo Park. Maybe I'll be able to finally organize a class trip to their bookmaking workshop. It would be so good. Plus, they seem really funny.

Point of Clarification

From the last blog...I can't make the perfect pancake. But, there is perfect pancake in my life. Don't you worry.

weekendness

The weekend was filled with some excellent hobby exploration. Because I'm a fan, here are the bullet points.

*Dave and I went to see Dan in Real Life which resulted in a self-imposed ban on romantic comedies. Being highly impressionable, I became a little sad that my life doesn't include a house in Rhode Island, playing football/step aerobics/crossword puzzles, the ability to make the perfect pancake, or a syndicated advice column. Don't get me wrong, I love my life and the movie was good. I just can't handle pressure like that.
*I decided to knit again. Gift season is upon us and some people I know have cold necks. Unfortunately, I think I forgot how to knit using the accepted method. Left to my own devices, I do my own thing. I do it consistently, crating something that has a uniformity of design. But, it's not quite knitting. It's mostly just wrong. Now, I have to get un-wronged.
*On a late afternoon trip to Target, I became the owner of a new mop and Dave became the owner of Guitar Hero III. After a brief snafu with sub par products, we got down to business. First I got involved with the process of seeing how much dirty water I can create while mopping, bringing me a deep and unique sense of accomplishment. Then Dave convinced me to try the new game. I stayed up past my bedtime as I tried to nail Cream's Sunshine of your Love. It was good.
*Then there was the fun. As you may know, I like to fun.

Fires

The LA fire department has a blog with links and information that can help. I've learned a lot.

Cat Toys

The current cat toy obsession that Cat is going through made me remember an old SNL skit. I told Dave I'd find it for him. After google-ing "snl cat toys will ferrell," I found a little 5 minute humor (in all it's meat headed glory).

Enjoy.

Views of the freeways

I spend a lot of time on the freeways. The 2, the 210, the 134. All of these are big parts of my day. Although I sometimes get so focused on the driving that I do not see some of the things that are right in front of me (like the Eagle Rock, which I manage to miss each day and insist that I don't drive by it during conversation). I'm a little more observant when it comes to the cars. I'm a little afraid of hitting something so I tend to pay close attention.

Yesterday, I saw a jeep with a snorkel. I spent a lot of the remaining drive wondering when you would need to drive a car with a snorkel. There can't be a whole lot of deep puddles in these parts. And, the LA river is mostly a dribble. I guess there is the ocean. But, that doesn't seem safe.

tasty, tasty

Last night, Dave and I used inspiration from the HipCooks class and let our our inner chefs. Well, I let out my inner cook. Dave said that he let out his inner assembler. Together, we created a tasty little meal. A little chicken-souvlaki type thing with onions. Some Greek-yogurt veggie stuff that may have missed the delicate balance from the class but was good nonetheless. Plus some tasty, tasty pita, feta and cherry tomatoes from the Hollywood Farmers Market. It was a little bit like I was in Astoria again. But, better because we made it ourselves. And, I got to have a good lunch and a tasty little snack with the leftovers. So good.

Take that-I HipCook blogged. Just one of the many HipCooks blogs that could happen from that night. Erin, I know it could have been better...but, I felt pressure.

Fetch

I am currently engaged in a frightening game of fetch with Cat. He sees using his claws and teeth as an integral part of the game. And, he is growling each time I try to get the ball. In his split-personality way, he is also pushing me with his hand, I mean paw to get me to play. Oh, cat, you so crazy.

One-oh-one

Today is my 101st day as an Angeleno. To celebrate I took a favorite walk and thought about my new world. It's filled with blue skies, walks around the meadow, cats, tee-vee (I'm done with the links), new students, hills and mountains, and good people. I like it here.

Life in California-land

This weekend, there was a little weekend away-ing. We spent some time in the mountains (about 2-800 hours from LA, depending on traffic). We rented a killer cabin in the woods; it had a fancy kitchen, the perfect deck for breakfast, the perfect sunset view a half-mile neighborhood walk away, and quiet time.

There were some other high points of the trip:
*I got to say that I was from LA when some guy who liked my coat asked me where I was from.
*I got to see a part of California that was new to me...a part that had fall.
*The hiking boots were busted out of storage.
*And, the people watching was high quality (there was a mullet, wine glass necklaces, and mountain people galore).

It was perfect.

Monday

I experienced a very Monday-ish Monday today. Kids were tired and cranky. New classroom things had glitches and hold-ups. I found out that my big raise is not so big once the man gets his hands on my check. Blah, blah, blah.

With some characteristically perfect timing, Dave sent me a little gift, via iTunes, and changed up my day. Rather than wallowing in the day, I am now enjoying the Into the Wild soundtrack.

A little Eddie Vedder and daydreams of spending some time away from it all are proving themselves to be the perfect way to deal with this overtly Monday Monday.

History

Right around this time, 50 years ago, nine high school students faced a sea of angry people and integrated the schools in Little Rock. I think the first time I learned about the Little Rock Nine was when I was in 5th grade, and all of the classes in my school spent a week watching Eyes on the Prize, a documentary about the nonviolent aspect of the Civil Rights Movement. I always think of that documentary as one of the most shaping experiences of my education.

More recently, I learned about some of the other events that shaped the Civil Rights Movement while watching another documentary. This time, the movie was shown to my graduate school class, and it talked about the Children's March. Until that time, I had not known of the children who forced Birmingham to integrate. These were the children the fire hoses were turned on. The children that the dogs chased. And, it was all so they could receive the education that they wanted.

I always wonder if I am doing enough to teach my students about the history that shapes each of their lives. Wonder if I am doing anything to really promote social justice? Struggle with the fact that I may be perpetuating some part of the myth of "separate but equal" in my position as a special educator. Those are issues I am not sure if I will ever come to terms with....

After school, when I learned that yesterday was the 50th anniversary of that famous day of school, I spent time trying to find things that might help my students understand the history they have inherited. But, this is proving to be more difficult than I had hoped. I am going to have to explain this to them in some way. They should know what has happened before them. I am the one who is supposed to teach them.

blogging nothing

So, I've hit a blogging dry spell. It's not that things in my life are not blog worthy (at least in my own eyes). It's more like a (maybe I've already said "that" / what is the limit for blog-items can one person recycle and still call herself a blogger) + (time away from the computer is good time) = no blogging. [Little homage to order of operations, there...did you see it?]

In the past, when I've run into spells like this, I've resorted to the bullet point. Here it goes:
*My new little baby iPod shuffle is perfect for a walk around the lake. At first I thought I was being an uber-consumer by getting a second iPod whilst having a first big iPod that works perfectly. That was all thrown out the proverbial window during today's outing. The little baby iPod weighs practically nothing. And, clips to my pants. I was out and about with everything attached to me janitor style. It was perfect.

*During a conversation with a friend who lived in Astoria/left Astoria in a very similar pattern with me, I tried to figure out a little more of what makes LA tick. Using NY and Boston (her new city) as comparison, we decided that the essential differences in the cities came down to making out in public. LA embraces the public make out. It's kind of everywhere. NY is a little less inclined (partially because people kind of make out with one person while they keep an eye out for someone better to come along, diminishing the overall quality of the make out). Boston is on the other end of the bell curve. Their Puritanical history makes for very little public action.

*I'm listening to Middlesex on my way to work. It's amazing. Plus, the audio book format is surprisingly wonderful in the car. And, it breaks up my somewhat obsessive NPR-listening.

*this is funny: http://www.dieyuppiekickball.com Sorry Brian.

Ok...Enough. This post is over.